I spent more time on a Top Secret Project today than I did writing, so this is another short update. This may be a fairly regular occurrence on Tuesdays and Thursdays, though I still intend to write SOMETHING every day and post it.

She was armed, he realized; she carried a staff, which was weapon enough itself, but it took him a moment to realize the heavy pole was tipped with a sharp spear point with a cross-guard. He noticed quickly enough when she hefted it point-out and raced right toward them.

It was about this point that Deman noticed her; his first sight that of a spear aimed entirely too close to him. He yelled out as she went by, rearing back, startling his horse. The horse added its own cries of startlement, and then the girl was past, darting through the space between their horses without a whisper of sound. Altman turned to watch her pass, but even so he barely saw her draw the spear back and lunge forward, driving the bladed tip deep into the side of a massive boar they’d been completely unaware of not 5 meters from their location. His mouth dropped open in shock.

With an ear-piercingly loud but brief squeal of pain, the boar tried to lunge at the girl, but it caught on the cross bar of the spear. She held her ground, but it pushed her backwards toward them almost a full meter before it collapsed to the ground. While the two young men sat astride their horses, looking on slack-jawed in shock, she stood over the boar catching her breath. Finally she looked around at them. “You two are from the city, aren’t you.” It wasn’t exactly a question.

“Yes … ah, thank you … Um …” Altman managed, somewhat tongue-tied.

“Kaylene.” A heart-shaped face stared up at him levelly, eyes cool under the hood.